Improvement in bee-hives



PETER HoNNoLL, or MARIETTA, ASSIGNOR 0E Two-THIRDS HIS RIGHT To JAMES w.HoNNoLL, 0E RYHALIA, AND MOSES H. HONNOLL, 0E MARI- ETTA, MISSISSTPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 167.250, dated August31, 1875; application filed July 1o, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PETER HoNNoLL, ofMarietta, in the county of Prentiss and State of Mississippi, haveinvented a new and valuable Improvement in Bee-Hives; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal verticalsection of my beehive; and Fig. 2 is a plan view, part sectional,thereof.

This invention has relation to improvements in box bee-hives; and itsnature consists in detached honey-frames arranged'in the upper part ofthe hive, and journaled in the extended upper ends of the side rails ofthe comb or bee-bread frames below, whereby the latter are relieved ofthe superincumbent weight of the former, and may be readily detachedwhen filled without disturbing the bees or bee-bread, as will behereinafter more fully explained.

In the annexed drawings, A designates an upright box, constituting thecasing of my improved hive, which box is closed by a hinged lid, B,provided with a gauze covered aperture, a, and has an inclined bottom,b. It has also a hinged door, L, at its sides, which affords a means ofaccess to the upper part of the box, for a purpose hereinafterexplained.

The bees have access to the interior of the hive through an opening, c,between the floor b and the front of the hive, which opening extendsentirely across the width of the same, and may be partly closed by meansof sliding doors G. Floor b, as shown in Fig. l, extends outward fromthe front of the hive, thus forming a landing, Z, upon which the beeswill alight, being thence directed up the landing through the saidopening into the hive. The front and rear ends of the hive-box areprovided with strips D at top, and near the bottom of the same, whichstrips are ribbed at intervals, as shown at i', the ribs serving asguides for vertically-movable and detached frames D', the lower rails dof which conform to the inclination of the ioor, and the side rails e ofwhich extend considerably above the horizontal top rail-f, as shown inFig. l. The frames D are of the shape of a trapezoid, and iill up rathermore than two-thirds of the whole space within the box, the remainingthird being occupied by the surplushoney framesA G. The latter are ofthe form of a rectangle, and are provided with spurs or 1projections i,by means of which they are supported in the cleft upper ends ofextensions j of the side rails of frame. The clefts in the upper ends ofthe said side rails are of exactly suiiicient depth to hold thehoney-frames G clear of the top rail of the bee-bread frames below;consequently the latter will be relieved of the superincuinbent Weightof the former. An advantage to be readily appreciated, also, is thatwhen the bee-keeper nds that any one of the surplus-honey frames G isfilled, he may lift it bodily out of the hive without disturbing itsoccupants, and replace it with a fresh one.

During the unproductive season, the upper frames G may be stued withcotton through side doors L, thus protecting the bees from the ingressof cold air, and the accumulations of moisture therein, consequent uponthe condensation of the warm vapors, will be carried out of the hive bythe inclined bottom b. rlhe ven tilatingaperture a may be also closed,when requisite, by means of a pivoted gate or sliding door, P, as Shownin Fig. l.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a bee-hive, the bee-bread frames D, having the extensions j, cleft attheir upper ends,

in combination with the Swinging honeyframes,with journals z',substantially as described.

In4 testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

, PETER HONNOLL.

Witnesses:

Il. IIGHARDSON, J. F. WARREN.

